Thuja plant named ‘Thusid2’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Thuja occidentalis  named ‘Thusid2’ characterized by its foliage with bright yellow-green new growth from the base to the tips of the foliage, its coarse textured foliage, and its narrowly upright semi-compact plant habit.

Botanical classification: Thuja occidentalis.

Varietal denomination: ‘Thusid2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Thujaoccidentalis and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘Thusid2’. ‘Thusid2’ represents a new western red cedar, an evergreentree grown for landscape use.

The inventor discovered this new Thuja (un-patented) as a naturallyoccurring branch mutation of Thuja occidentalis ‘Brandon’ (not patented)in spring of 2007 that was growing in a container block at his nurseryin Mission, B.C., Canada.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemcuttings in Mission, B.C., Canada in winter of 2007 by the inventor.Further generations of cuttings were taken in following years and trialshave determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable andare reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Thusid2’, as unique from all other selections and forms ofThuja occidentalis known to the inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Thusid2’ exhibits foliage with bright yellow-green new        growth from the base to the tips of the foliage.    -   2. ‘Thusid2’ exhibits coarse textured foliage.    -   3. ‘Thusid2’ exhibits a narrowly upright semi-compact plant        habit.

‘Brandon’, the parent plant of ‘Thusid2’, differs from ‘Thusid2’ inhaving new growth that is green in color. ‘Thusid2’ can be most closelycompared to other cultivars of Thuja occidentalis that exhibityellow-green colored foliage: ‘Thusid1’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,003),‘Golden Brabant’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/507,129),and ‘Golden Anne’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/506,864).‘Thusid1’ differs from ‘Thusid2’ in having yellow color only on the tipsof the new growth, in having finer textured foliage, and in having amore compact, dense plant habit. ‘Golden Brabant’ differs from ‘Thusid2’in having foliage that is yellow in color on mature foliage as well asnew foliage and in having a more ovate to conical plant habit. ‘GoldenAnne’ differs from ‘Thusid2’ in having foliage that is yellow in coloron mature foliage as well as new foliage and in having a broader planthabit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The plant and plant parts depicted in the accompanied photographsillustrate the characteristics of ‘Thusid2’. The photographs were takenof three year-old plants as grown outdoors in two-gallon containers inMission, B.C., Canada.

FIG. 1 provides an overall view of the plant habit of ‘Thusid2’.

FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Thusid2’.

FIG. 3 provides a view of ‘Thusid2’ (right) in comparison to ‘Brandon’(left).

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized. The color values cited inthe detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of thenew Thuja.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar of twoyear-old plants of the new cultivar as grown in one-gallon containers inMission, B.C., Canada. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary withvariations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as ithas not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chartof The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Plant type.—Coniferous, evergreen, tree for landscape use.        -   Growth habit.—Narrowly upright, semi-compact with coarse            foliage.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 21 cm in height and 12 cm            in width as grown in a one-gallon container, reaches up to            4.5 m in height and 2 m in width in the landscape.        -   Cone development.—Neither male nor female cones have been            observed.        -   Cold hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zone 3.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests known to affect Thuja has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.        -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem size.—Main branches: average of two main branches, 1 cm            in diameter and 37 cm in length; lateral branches: average            of 4 mm in diameter and 14 cm in length.        -   Stem surface.—Young branches are glabrous and knobby with            scales.        -   Branching.—Main stems arise from base with numerous            secondary branches, number of lateral branches an average of            10 per main branch.        -   Branch arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Branch aspect.—Main stems upright, lateral stems held at an            average angle of 10° from the main stems with flat sprays            that spread upward and outward.        -   Internode length.—Range from 3.5 cm at the base to 2.5 cm at            the tip.        -   Stem color.—Immature branches are 166A with scales 167D,            mature branches are 200A with scales 165D in color.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Numerous leaves arranged on planar            branchlets scale-like decussate.        -   Leaf shape.—Facial pair keeled, flat pair flattened and            oblong.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Apiculate.        -   Leaf venation.—Not visible.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper and lower; scale like, glabrous, dull.        -   Leaf color.—Mature upper surface: between a blend of 147A            and 143B; mature lower surface: 143A; new growth upper and            lower surface; 154B to 154C in color.        -   Leaf fragrance.—Evergreen scent when crushed.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 4 cm in length and 1 cm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—About 5 per lateral branch.-   Cone description: No cones have been observed on the plants trialed    for data collection.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Thuja plant named‘Thusid2’ as herein illustrated and described.